This invention relates to lighting systems, and more specifically to systems intended to illuminate motion picture sets and sets of video productions.
The problem of finding the proper illumination for images goes back to the beginning of the visual arts. Long before the advent of photography artists were concerned, even obsessed, with the effect of light on the subjects of their artistic endeavors. Artists traveled over long distances to view the effects of natural light during different times of day, under different cloud conditions, in different latitudes.
During the early days of photography the low sensitivity of early photographic films required a fairly high lighting intensity. In the mid 19th century, OSCAR GUSTAVE REJLANDER, a Swedish painter turned photographer, is said to have used a cat as a primitive exposure meter by placing the cat next to his subject. By looking at the cat's eyes he could tell whether the lighting conditions were proper for photographing his subject.
The first use of artificial light in photography is attributed to L. Ibbetson, who, in 1839, used oxy-hydrogen light when photographing microscopic subjects.
Later photographers used magnesium powder as a source of illumination (flash powder). Magnesium ribbon later replaced powder, and was electrically ignited in flash bulbs. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,319,058.
Professional still photography as well as motion picture photography have managed the intensity problem by simply adding more lights to illuminate the subject. Although modern technology has produced light-generating systems with adjustable luminous intensity, the method of adding lights still remains a popular method of controlling both the light intensity, and of illuminating separate parts of the subject differently.
Lighting in connection with photographic images soon became a matter of both intensity and hue. Colors filters became common to further control the appearance of the subject. An example of a motion picture camera with a built-in color conversion filter appears in U.S. Pat. No. 4,033,346.
The present invention incorporates a number of technological improvements into the art of lighting for motion picture and video production. The invention is in the form of an array of lighting modules, electrically interconnected by a wireless network, allowing, at a single location, the adjustment of the light intensity and hue of each module.
The present invention utilizes a single light engine, which contains multiple LEDs in an extremely compact form. This embodiment is much cheaper and easier to manufacture and use than the alternative, that is, the mounting of many individual LEDs.
Furthermore, this invention includes a vastly simplified form of wireless networking. Other lighting systems in the prior art have been networked, but these prior art systems usually involved cables, as well as the requirement for separate addressing of the other systems, and requiring complex protocols, such as DMX®. Other prior art lighting systems have been found which utilize wireless control. However, these prior art systems can be controlled one light at a time, and further require a dedicated remote to control each such light.
Finally, the rotary color adjustment of the present invention brings a new level of convenience and simplicity of operation to the technology. The prior art control systems have all required the management of multiple buttons, in a complex sequence, to attempt to control the lighting hue. Each module has the capability of adjusting both luminous intensity and hue. Despite their technological complexity, the modules are user-friendly, having analog-like concentric control knobs and push button switches.